Liquid water spotted Mars?
July 7th 2009 07:15
Category: No Category
Recent images from the Phoenix Lander have detected what looks to be Salty liquid water droplets on the landing gear, the Phoenix Mars Lander touchdown on the red planet in 2008.
If these images can be authenticated it would mean that this the first time that liquid water has been photographed anywhere else besides the earth. The images were taken by one the Phoenix Lander onboard cameras.
These “droplets “ grew during the Martian summer months. The droplets may consist of salty liquid water and mud splashed on the spacecraft during or just after touchdown.
The appearance of droplets may have been caused by the use of retro rocker descent engine melting ice just under the surface of the soil. Saline water might actually be common on Mars. Liquid water is essential ingredient for life as we know it.
If this discovery is true would have important implications from many areas of planetary exploration including making Mars a habitable planet in the future.
Many scientists previously believed that Martian water exists only as ice or water vapour because of the planets low temperature and atmospheric pressure.
Scientists believed that Martian ice could vaporize but they didn't think it could actually melt.
Scientists are now starting to suspect that the salt in the Martian soil could create pockets of salty pools that would not freeze even at temperatures as low as -70°C.
NASA Image
Mars has salt in soil samples, confirmed by sensors on Phoenix Lander.
Some of the droplets appear to grow over time by absorbing water from the atmosphere and some moved and merged together strongly suggesting that they were indeed liquid.
If the droplets that were discovered recently are proven to be water, then Mars is more earthlike than we thought.
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Comment by S.L.
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Comment by Deanna B
The last time I heard about the discovery of water on Mars was a few months ago via an email. I scrolled down and saw a picture of a glass of water on a Mars bar. Funny...but not exciting like this.
I feel so blessed to live in a day and age where technological advances have made it possible for us to learn more about the other planets in our solar system!
I especially like the proof that pictures provide.
Thanks for staying on top of this!
Comment by Cheryl J
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Hey Deanna, I got that one too